1. Field of the Invention;
The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of fish and/or shellfish extracts having pharmaceutical functions and medicines containing the fish and/or shellfish extracts prepared thereby. More particularly, the invention relates to a process for the preparation of fish and/or shellfish extracts having nutrition balancing function, anti-ulcer function, insulin-like function, antilipemic function, and the function of relieving rheumatism and arthritis, and also relates to medicines containing the fish and shellfish extracts prepared by the above process.
2. Prior Art;
One of the known processes for the extraction of fish meat extracts is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 31935/1978. In this process, raw fishes which have not been subjected to pre-treatment, such as slicing or grinding to form a slurry, are heated to a temperature of not lower than 60.degree. C. followed by decomposition by the use of an alkali-resistant proteinase at 50.degree. to 60.degree. C. and at a pH of 9 to 10, and then the decomposed products are further decomposed using a different acid-resistant proteinase after adjusting the pH value to pH 5 to 6. However, this known process has a disadvantage that the pH value of the raw material must be adjusted to pH 9 to 10 by the addition of a sodium ion containing compound, such as sodium carbonate, which is disagreeable from the food sanitary standpoint of view, in order to activate the alkali-resistant proteinase. In addition, this known process involves a cumbersome and difficult pH adjusting operation, since the reaction product must be adjusted to have a pH of 5 to 6 prior to the addition of an acid-resistant proteinase. Another disadvantage of this known process is that the alkali-resistant proteinase is not fully deactivated to continue its action after the acid-resistant proteinase is added to make it difficult to prepare the extract containing only the peptides each having a molecular weight of substantially less than 3000 and free amino acids.